Home construction appears on the rise in Marysville

Things are looking up for the home construction scene in Marysville, according to Planning Commission Chairman Martin Pratt, who is also a member of the city's Design Review Board.

AMY ROGAN, ThisWeek Community News

Things are looking up for the home construction scene in Marysville, according to Planning Commission Chairman Martin Pratt, who is also a member of the city's Design Review Board.

Last year, the city received requests for 62 building permits for single-family homes for the entire year.

So far this year, it has received 121 requests for building permits for single-family homes.

In a recent report to Marysville City Council, Pratt said construction is picking up in the Scott Farms and Adena Point subdivisions and he expects Mill Valley to follow suit.

Scott Farms is a subdivision on state Route 4 just north of U.S. Route 33. The Marysville Planning Commission approved M/I Homes' request for additional plat approvals that Pratt estimated could mean another 50 homes. He said M/I hoped to start construction immediately.

"In my four years on planning commission, I think this is the first time we've actually had a plat come forward instead of having someone delay another year," he said.

Adena Point is located off of Weaver Road near the Union County Airport.

"Right now, they are probably only doing a section of 20 or 25 homes," Pratt said. "Two years ago, there were probably eight houses but there may be 30 now."

Representatives from Dominion Homes told the planning commission earlier this year they would be back in midyear to seek approval for the next round of building in the Mill Valley subdivision on state Route 31 north of U.S. 33, according to Pratt.

"They've got hundreds more to go. They haven't really added a new section in the four years I've been on planning commission," he said.

In addition, he said, Compass Homes wants to build 26 high-end condominiums at Walker Meadows at state Route 38 and Walker Woods Lane.

"We're excited about residential but residential doesn't necessarily pay the bills," he said. "It's a balancing act. We certainly need it, but I think we need more commercial and more industrial."

The biggest recent commercial venture planned in Marysville is Nationwide Children's Hospital's plans for a $4.6-million Close to Home Center on Coleman's Crossing Boulevard. The Design Review Board approved the 20,800-square-foot facility planned for 2.4 acres in the City Gate area at the north end of Coleman's Crossing Boulevard. The hospital hopes to open the facility next spring.

A smaller project, Pratt said, involves plans by Coughlin Automotive to expand its building location at U.S. Route 36 and Watkins Road and add a car wash. The Design Review Board has approved the project and Pratt said construction will start soon.

He said Marysville appears to be getting back to being a thriving community.

"Mill Valley and Scott Farms kept growing and then five or six years ago, everything just stopped," he said. "And now ... it's finally starting to pick back up. People are feeling more comfortable buying houses and spending money."